Autism changes won’t help families
Re: Parents rally to protest provincial reforms to autism support, Feb. 9.
I am writing to thank you for the coverage you have provided on changes to the Ontario Autism Program. So many people have no understanding of how this drastically affects all our families living with autism.
It is heartbreaking to know that our children will not be getting the help they so desperately need. This $140,000 that is allocated over their entire childhood and youth (up to 18) is not even close to what their needs are. To top it all off, this is subject to age parameters and yearly rationing. Children under six will receive up to $20,000 per year. Children at age seven and up will receive $5,000 per year to a maximum of $140,000. It is also dependent on the family income. If a family has two children on the severe side of the spectrum, it could cost them close to $200,000 yearly.
I have twin grandsons, age 4, on the spectrum. The boys has been on the waiting list for treatment since age two. My daughter and her husband have only been able to give the boys 14 hours of private therapy per week. They need 30 to 35 hours weekly. This has cost them an astounding $80,000 yearly to date. They cannot afford it but cannot afford not to do it. Debt, debt, debt.
I know personally of families having to sell their homes in order to try to help their children. Others have had to move to Alberta where each child on the spectrum receives $76,000 annually. Families have been pushed to the limits where their own health is in jeopardy. They are living with children who need constant supervision. Many sleepless nights take a serious toll. If these kids were diabetic, would they have their medications slashed?
Clearing the waiting list will take up to two years. This was the minister’s main objective. But clearing the waiting list at the cost of these children’s future is the worst thing that could have happened. Early intervention with the appropriate therapy has proven to be very effective and life-changing, giving the children a chance to live a happy and more fulfilled life.
The heartbreak and worry is totally consuming on a daily basis. I hope by some miracle it can be changed. Judith McIntosh, Ottawa, Grandmother of two boys with love that has no boundaries SHARE YOUR VIEWS: letters@ottawacitizen.com